Late Kick Lifts Pack Past Lions

NFL - Game Day - WEEK 14

December 13, 2004

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers only led for two seconds Sunday, and that was enough to keep their stranglehold over the Detroit Lions, who haven't won in Wisconsin since 1991. Ryan Longwell's 23-yard field goal gave Green Bay a 16-13 victory against the Lions and lifted the Packers (8-5) into first place in the NFC North by a game over Minnesota, which lost at home to Seattle.

PACKERS STORY LINE

Brett Favre completed just 3 of 15 passes for 28 yards in the first half but he was an amazing 16-of-21 in the swirling winds for 160 yards and a touchdown in the second half. The Packers had a terrible first half, beginning when Longwell slipped on the opening kickoff. Favre entered the game needing 28 yards to tie Dan Marino's NFL record of 13 consecutive 3,000-yard seasons, and he had exactly that amount at halftime.

LIONS STORY LINE

The Lions blew a 13-0 halftime lead and also wasted a prime chance to get into the playoff picture in the muddled NFC, falling to 5-8. Lions quarterback Joey Harrington completed just 5 of 22 passes for 47 yards as the Lions relied on rookie running back Kevin Jones, who rushed 33 times for 156 yards and a touchdown.

TURNING POINT

Longwell's third game-winning field goal in five weeks capped a 10-play, 37-yard drive after the Packers got the ball back at the Detroit 42 with 3:27 left and the wind at the their backs.

SUNDAY'S SURPRISE

Wind gusts up to 35 mph wreaked havoc on passes, punts and long snaps and caused a slew of drops.

BY THE NUMBERS

5: The Lions committed five penalties, including three 15-yarders, on the Packers' opening possession of the third quarter, and still Green Bay couldn't get into the end zone, settling for Longwell's 36-yard field goal to pull to 13-3.

125: Longwell has scored in all 125 games of his career.

INJURIES OF NOTE

Packers linebacker Nick Rogers injured his left knee and will have an MRI today.

POSTGAME CHAT

"What can you say? I look down there, he [Longwell] gives me the thumbs-up. I can't say I don't still say a few prayers when he's lining up to kick it. I do. But they're always answered." -- Packers Coach Mike Sherman

"We haven't scored an offensive touchdown in the second half the last five weeks. That is just mind-boggling. It makes no sense." -- Lions receiver Roy Williams

"There's never anything routine about a field goal here, and today there was nothing routine about an extra point." -- Longwell